For Ann Johnson in District 134

Published 6:26 pm, Monday, October 22, 2012

The tea party turnout of 2010 gave Republican candidate Sarah Davis the narrow victory she needed to win in District 134, a prosperous swing district that covers areas from River Oaks to Meyerland and the Medical Center, as well.

Davis speaks about politics with a fiery passion, but her passion often seems aimed more at Washington than Austin.

She successfully navigated the minefield of wedge-issue votes that defined the previous legislative session - voting no on the sonogram bill, for example. But voters deserve a representative who doesn't just avoid bad votes, but leads on good ones. We believe Democratic challenger Ann Johnson can be that sort of leader.

Johnson began her career as a prosecutor at the Harris County District Attorney's Office, where she was known for her no-nonsense, hardworking attitude. After leaving the prosecutor's office, she dedicated herself to the world of juvenile law, where she focused on issues like child exploitation and sex trafficking - two issues that need the attention of the Texas Legislature. (In one notable case, she successfully argued before the Texas Supreme Court that girls too young to consent under the law could not be charged with prostitution.)

Johnson's focus on juvenile issues doesn't end at the courtroom. On the campaign trail, she rattles off embarrassing statistics on Texas kids - we're 43rd in high school graduation rates, 45th in SAT scores, and have the highest percentage of children without health insurance. Texas should not be content with these rankings, and Johnson certainly isn't, advocating smart educational investments like all-day Pre-K and capping class sizes.

Issues like education and health care aren't just matters of compassion, they're necessary to ensure that Texas has the healthy, educated workforce we need to power our economy.